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TALES 

OUT OF SCHOOL 


BY 

Myra King 


Author of 

“LANGUAGE GAMES” 


INTRODUCTIONS BY 

DR. E. C. MOORE M. C. HETTINGER 



THE BOLTON PRINTING COMPANY, Inc. 


PUBLISHERS 

LOS, ANGELES. CALIFORNIA 
1911 


T 


Copyrighted, 1911 
MYRA KING 


€cI,A202139 


INTRODUCTION 


LOS ANGELES CITY SCHOOLS, 

Office of the Superintendent. 

May 23, 1910. 

The following parables for children have been prepared by 
a teacher who has constructive imagination. They are in- 
tended to portray the results of faulty action so clearly that 
the right way of doing things will be evident to every child. 
The moral is not added at the end, nor is it led in by the ear. 
The moral is in the story as a whole, and has a good right to 
be there. Something should be said too for the simple direct- 
ness of these stories. They might have been written by chil- 
dren themselves they are so plain and homely. Children will 
like them because they talk of children’s affairs in a very 
familiar way, and children will be better children for having 
read them. 

E. C. MOORE,* 
Superintendent of Schools. 

*Now Professor of Education, 

Yale University, 

New Haven, Conn. 


April 17, 1911. 

Miss Myra King, 

My Dear Miss King: After reading Dr. Moore’s sentences 
with reference to the stories given in this little volume, I can 
unreservedly endorse all that he says. These stories are the 
kind of stories that I tried to tell to my own children in the 
family circle; they are the stories which appeal to all normal 
American children, in the family and in the first years in 
school. If they do not appeal to adults, it will be because the 
adults have allowed something to go wrong in their spiritual 
natures, and they need regeneration. 

Truly yours, 

M. C. BETTINGER, 
Assistant Supt. Schools, Los Angeles, Cal. 


True worth is in being, not seeming, — 

In doing each day that goes by 
Some little good — not in the dreaming 
Of great things to do by and by. 

For whatever men say in their blindness. 

And spite of the fancies of youth. 

There’s nothing so kingly as kindness. 

And nothing so royal as truth. 

—ALICE CARY 


Howe’er it be, it seems to me, 

’Tis only noble to be good. 

Kind hearts are more than coronets. 

And simple faith than Norman blood. 

—ALFRED TENNYSON 


PREFACE. 


Surely an unspoiled, loving and trusting child, as he makes 
his first acquaintance with the school-room and school ways 
is “The sweetest thing that ever grew beside a human door,” 
and it should be the work of both the school and the home to 
encourage and protect his natural hopefulness, fearlessness 
and trustfulness in every possible way. 

One of the strongest aids in accomplishing this purpose is a 
generous use of carefully selected stories which, while of ab- 
sorbing interest to the child, shall present to his eager, recep- 
tive and easily-molded thought, ethical lessons of lasting bene- 
fit. 

The stories contained in this little book were written for 
and read to my own class of nine and ten-year-old boys and 
girls. 

It is with the hope that they will prove helpful to children 
and to those entrusted with their education and progress that 
these stories are published. 


MYRA KING. 


CONTENTS 


Preserved Roses 7 

White Wings and Coo Coo 12 

A lyittle Bit of a True Story 16 

Picnic Pies ! 18 

What He Could 22 

Billie’s Lion 26 

How Tom Saved Polly 28 

Old Friends 32 

Jack and the Flag 34 

Dobbins’ Tardy Mark 38 

Buttons 42 

Nellie’s Ring 47 

The New Bridge 50 

In Blackberry Time 54 

Snowball 60 

Winnie’s Camping Experience 64 

Johnnie, Lost and Found 69 

Dick’s Fourth 73 


PRESERVED ROSES 


Jennie and Grandma and Uncle Ben lived together on the 
farm a little distance from the village. There were many 
interesting and delightful things there and Jennie had a very 
happy time, but that which she enjoyed most was Grandma’s 
rose garden which Uncle Ben’s untiring care made the most 
beautiful spot for miles around. 

In the spring Jennie spent hours in the garden admiring the 
many kinds of roses and watching the buds unfold. She was 
especially fond of a certain pink rose the buds of which opened 
slowly and were perfect in shape and color. 

“Grandma,” she said one day, “the strawberries and the 
peaches and the cherries are beautiful and I am always glad 
when I see you preserving them for in that way we are able 
to keep them and enjoy their beauty a little longer. I wish 
there were some way of preserving these beautiful roses.” 

Grandma smiled. “Well, little girl,” she said, “perhaps you 
can find a way.” 

Jennie did a good deal of thinking and several days later 
came to Grandma with eyes shining. 

“Oh, Grandma,” she said, “I’ve thought of a way to preserve 
the roses.” 

Grandma laughed this time. “Well, dearie,” she asked, 
“how are you going to do it?” 

“I don’t want to tell just yet,” said Jennie, “but if you will 


8 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


let me have that pink rose bush down in the corner of the 
garden to do with just as I like, I’ll tell you how after a while.” 

“Certainly,” said Grandma, “you may have it.” “Even if I 
ask Uncle Ben to dig it up for me?” said Jennie. “Yes,” 
answered Grandma, “you may have it for your very own.” 

“I’m so glad,” said Jennie, “and I’ll ask Uncle Ben to let 
me know just as soon as the time for transplating roses 
comes.” 

Some time after when Uncle Ben came in to lunch one day, 
he said to Grandma, “I’ve just been transplanting Jennie’s rose, 
and you’ll never guess where she’s put it. Way down by the 
wheat field along that dusty stretch of road where there is not 
a tree nor a bit of shade of any kind.” 

“Why did she put it there?” asked Grandma. “I don’t 
know,” answered Uncle Ben, “she said she wasn’t ready to tell 
me yet.” 

With Uncle Ben’s kindly help the rose bush grew and flour- 
ished as well by the road side as it had in its old home in the 
garden, and Jennie watched and cared for it every day. She 
carried it little buckets of water, picked off the dry leaves and 
loosened the dirt about its roots just as Uncle Ben showed her. 

Jennie was delighted when the little leaves began to come in 
the spring. Soon the bush was covered with opening buds 
and flowers. It was very beautiful and Jennie’s loving care 
kept it fresh and clean and sweet as it had been in the garden. 

One hot dusty day Jennie climbed down from the old apple 
tree by the gate where she had been sitting all morning andl 
ran to Grandma who was reading on the porch. “Grandma, 
Grandma,” she cried, “some of my roses are preserved.” “Are 
they?” said Grandma, “how?” 

“Well,” said Jennie, “a few minutes ago a man passed the 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


9 


gate and went on down the road toward my rose bush. He 
was walking and carrying a heavy pack on his back. He 
didn’t look as if he felt very happy. He looked as if he were 
thinking of the long and hot and dusty road. I watched him 
and wondered if he would see my rose bush, and, sure enough, 
he did, and walked straight up to it. He dropped his pack and 
stood looking at the roses and smelling of them for a long time. 
Then he picked up his pack and went on. Do you know. 
Grandma, he stayed there so long that I believe he looked at 
every rose on the bush and I am sure for at least a part of the 
rest of his journey he will be seeing the roses and not the hot, 
dusty road, and if he keeps the roses in his thought isn’t that 
preserving them?” 

“Yes, indeed,” said Grandma, “but I hadn’t thought of it 
that way.” 

“There was one thing that troubled me about it,” said Jennie. 
“I hoped he would pick some of the roses, but I suppose he 
thought he had no right to them. I shall have to put up a 
sign by the bush.” 

In the afternoon Grandma found Jennie busy with her paints 
and brushes. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Painting a 
sign to put up by my rose bush,” answered Jennie. Then she 
held up a large piece of cardboard on which Grandma read. 


These roses are for you. Please 
help yourself, but be careful not 
to spoil the bush. Jennie. 


10 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


Then she ran down the road, fastened the sign to a stick and 
set it beside the rose bush. 

Every day she sat in the big apple tree by the gate reading 
or watching the people who passed by. 

One day she saw a huge object coming down the road in the 
distance. As it came nearer she saw that it was a great load 
of hay which was so heavy that the horses could hardly draw 
it. The driver who was walking beside the horses was very 
impatient with them because they seemed to find the load so 
heavy. When he came to the rose bush Jennie saw him stop 
and give the horses a rest while he read the little sign. Then 
he picked several roses and pinned them on his coat. 

As he came on past the gate and the apple tree, Jennie 
noticed that he seemed to be thinking and did not call to the 
horses so loud and impatiently as before. “There,” thought 
she, “some more of my roses are preserved — he’s thinking of 
the roses and not how slow the horses are and how hot and 
dusty the road is.” 

Another day as she sat in her tree watch-tower she saw a 
carriage dash by drawn by a pair of beautiful black horses. 
The face of the man who was in the carriage showed that his 
thoughts were not pleasant. “No,” he was thinking, “I don’t 
believe there is any sweetness or unselfishness in the world.” 
Just then he caught sight of Jennie’s sign and drew up the 
horses that he might read it. Jennie watched him get out of 
his carriage, pick a bunch of the roses, and then, after standing 
there a long time, get in again and drive slowly on. 

In the evening when Jennie went to water her rose bush, 
she found a little note pinned to her sign. As soon as she 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


11 


opened it she knew it had been left by the man in the carriage. 

The note read: 

“To Jennie: 

“I am helping myself to your roses and am writing this little 
note to tell you that I shall never forget them for they have 
helped me to put aside some ugly thoughts that were making 
me very unhappy. 

Gratefully, 

Your friend.” 

“There, there, Grandma,” cried Jennie joyfully as she ran 
to Grandma with the note, “haven’t I found the way to pre- 
serve roses?” “I think you have, dear,” answered Grandma 
as she fondly patted Jennie’s radiant face. 


WHITE WINGS AND 000 COO 


Willie was a very little boy who lived with his father and 
mother and big brother Hal near a little village at the foot of 
the mountains. 

Every two weeks during the spring and summer Willie’s 
father took a long journey over a steep mountain trail into the 
mines where he sold vegetables, butter, eggs, fruits and other 
farm products to the miners. 

Willie and Hal always went with him and as these trips 
took about a week they always had a good time. 

Willie had a number of pets and among them two little 
carrier-pigeons. He often took the pigeons with him on these 
journeys and when they were part way up the mountain sent 
back letters to Mother. 

Father sometimes got tired of so many pets and especially 
of the pigeons and at one time made up his mind that they 
must be sold, but Willie begged so hard that he finally said, 
“Well, you may keep them till we take our next trip up the 
mountains and after that I can’t be bothered with them any 
longer.” 

There were two trails up the mountains. The new trail 
was better than the old one, but the old one was shorter so 
they usually took that. 

They packed their goods on donkeys and always camped out 
three or four nights on the way up. 

One evening, not long after it had been decided that the 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


13 


pigeons must be sold, Willie's father said, ‘T can't take the 
supplies to the mines today. I have some important business 
that must be attended to at once. Hal, do you think you and 
Willie can go alone? The men at the mines are depending 
on us and it wouldn't be right to disappoint them." 

Hal felt sure they could get along all right and Willie was 
delighted. Mother didn't like the idea of their going alone 
but finally consented. “I'll take White- Wings and Coo-Coo 
along. Mother, and send them back with messages to you," 
said Willie. 

The next morning Father helped pack the donkeys and the 
boys were soon ready for their journey. Before long they 
were out of sight of the house. They got along very nicely 
although they found many places where the trail had been 
badly washed by the recent heavy rains. In most places the 
trail was very narrow and in some places the wash-outs were 
so bad that Hal feared the donkeys could not take another step. 
But they picked their way carefully and kept on till afternoon 
when as they turned a sharp corner the leader came to a 
sudden stop and there right before them the boys saw a huge 
pile of earth and stone which completely blocked the trail. 

“Well," said Hal, “there's nothing to do but go home, and 
I'm thankful that the trail is wide enough here for the donkeys 
to turn around. Father’ll have to send the things up by the 
other trail for this one will never be good for anything again. 
It looks as if a whole mountain had fallen in this place, and I 
believe there are going to be more land slides along here. 

So they carefully turned the donkeys around and started 
home. 

They had gone only about a mile when they found their 


14 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


way again blocked by another mass of loose earth which had 
fallen here since they passed along on their way up. 

“What shall we do?” said Hal. “We’re penned in here 
between these two piles of earth — we can’t go either way. 
The folks at home won’t be looking for us for a week and the 
men at the mines will think we’re not coming, so nobody will 
know we are in trouble. I suppose we’ll just have to stay 
here for a week till it’s time for us to return from the mines, 
then Father will begin to wonder what has become of us and 
will come to look for us. 

“Of course we’ll not be hungry for we can unpack the 
donkeys and have plenty to eat, but it wouldn’t be safe for 
us both to lie down to sleep for if we moved a bit we’d roll 
over the mountain and besides some more earth may come 
down any time.” 

The more Hal talked the more frightened he became and 
little Willie began to be afraid too. “Why Hal,” he said, 
“we must stop talking this way and do some thinking. This 
is no time to be afraid. It’s time to think. You know when 
we let ourselves get frightened we can’t think what to do.” 
“You’re right, Willie,” said Hal, “but I don’t think there is 
any way out of this. We’re not far from home but we might 
as well be a hundred miles away.” 

Then the boys sat still awhile, each busy thinking. Sud- 
denly Willie jumped up. “Oh, Hal,” he said, “what foolish 
boys we are, we’ve forgotten all about White-Wings and Coo- 
Coo. Let’s send them home at once. They’ll get there this 
evening and Father’ll start right out to help us.” 

“To be sure,” said Hal, “I forgot all about them.” Then he 
sat down to write the little notes while Willie got the pigeons 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


15 


and soon White-Wings and Coo-Coo were sailing swiftly 
homeward each carrying her little message. 

Then the boys sat down to wait. They felt they had noth- 
ing to fear now for as soon as the pigeons got home Father 
would find a way to help them. 

When evening came they had some lunch from the donkey’s 
packs, then Hal unpacked the blankets which one of the don- 
keys carried and made Willie a little bed on the widest part 
of the trail. Willie cuddled down in the blankets and was 
soon fast asleep, with Hal sitting close beside him. 

To Hal the night seemed long, but when the first light of 
morning began to dawn he heard a faint sound as of some one 
calling. “Oh, it’s Father,” he thought, “and he’s calling to 
cheer us up.” Every few minutes he heard the sound and it 
grew gradually nearer and nearer. After awhile he heard the 
sound of digging and he knew that Father and other men were 
at work clearing the trail. 

Before long they were near enough that Hal could talk 
with them, but the sun was shining brightly before the earth 
was cleared away so that the men came into sight. 

Willie slept soundly through it all and it was only when 
Father came and stood looking at him that he opened his 
eyes. For a moment everything looked strange to him and 
then he remembered that he had gone to sleep on the mountain 
trail. 

“Oh, I’m so glad you’ve come. Father,” he said, “and aren’t 
you glad we didn’t sell White-Wings and Coo-Coo?” 

“Yes, indeed,” answered Father, “and hereafter they shall 
have the best the farm affords.” 


A LITTLE BIT OF A TRUE STORY 


Baby had on his little white dress with the blue bows on 
the shoulders and he looked as sweet and fresh as a spring 
blossom. 

Mama went out in the back yard to work and Baby went 
to the front porch to watch Auntie as she started for the store. 

Auntie was half way down the block when Baby decided he 
would like to go, too. So off he started and followed down the 
street. Of course Auntie didn’t know he was coming so she 
did not look around. 

When they had gone several blocks Baby suddenly lost sight 
of Auntie. He looked around everywhere but couldn’t find 
her. Then he turned up a side street and kept on walking. 

After awhile Mama missed Baby and came out to look for 
him. Of course she couldn’t find him but she wasn’t much 
worried because she supposed he had gone with Auntie, so 
she went back to her work. 

Presently Auntie came home. “Why, Auntie, where is 
Baby?” said Mama. “I don’t know,” answered Auntie. “I 
left him on the front porch.” 

Then they began to look for him. They went up one street 
and down another till it was almost noon. They were begin- 
ning to feel that it was a serious matter and they’d have to 
get some one to help them, when Auntie called out, “Oh, I 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


17 


see a little white speck way down that street. I believe it’s 
Baby.” 


So down the street they went and sure enough they could 
see the blue bows and the little gold head shining in the sun. 

When they reached him, Baby 
was sitting quietly on the curb- 
stone watching them as they 
came up. 

“Why, Baby,” said Mama, “how 
did you get lost?” “I haven’t 
been lost. Mama,” said Baby. 
“I’ve been here all the time.” 
“What have you been doing, you 
darling?” said Auntie. “Why,” 
answered Baby, “just sitting here, 
waiting for you to find me. I 
knew you would.” 



PICNIC PIES 


The Brown and Barnes families were going to have a picnic 
at Fern Hollow. 

Mrs. Brown had been busy all day baking cakes and cook- 
ies, frying chicken and preparing other good things. She was 
going to have some pies, for all the children were very fond 
of them, but she wanted to make them the last thing because 
she knew they would be best if they were eaten fresh. So it 
was late in the afternoon before she was ready to make them. 

“Well, children,” she said, at last, “I think I’ll soon be ready 
to make the pies, then everything will be ready so that we can 
start early in the morning. What kind shall we have?” 
“Currant,” said Percy. “Raspberry,” said Bess. “Cherry,” 
said Rose. “Well,” laughed Mother, “we can’t have them all. 
Which shall it be?” 

After they had talked for some time and the matter was not 
decided. Mother said, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. You may 
each gather the fruit you want and I’ll make the pies of that 
which is ready first. Bess must pick the raspberries, Percy 
gather the currants and pick them off the stems and Rose 
must pick and stone the cherries. Now we’ll see who gets his 
fruit ready first.” 

Rose picked up a tin pail from the table, bounded through 
the gate, down the garden path and was out of sight in a 
minute. 

“Well,” said Percy, “we’ll have currant pies you can be sure. 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


19 


for Rose has to go way to the other side of the orchard to pick 
the cherries and then just think how long it will take to stone 
them. Bess doesn’t have to go so far but raspberries are little 
and they are so soft it will take a long time to pick enough for 
half a dozen pies, and then the bushes are so high and thorny 
it will be slow work. All I’ll have to do will be to sit under a 
big currant bush and scrape off the currants, for they are just 
thick. Then it won’t take long to strip them off the stems. 
Hurrah for currant pies!” 

‘T know a place where the raspberries are thick, too,” said 
Bess, and when they’re picked they’re all ready to use. You 
don’t have to do anything more to them, so I think you’d better 
say, ‘Hurrah for raspberry pies !’ ” 

“Well, we’ll see,” said Percy. “How many currants shall I 
pick. Mother? Will this pail full be enough?” he added, pick- 
ing up a pail from the table. “Come on, Percy,” called Bess 
as she ran down the garden. 

“I think I can guess what kind of pies we’ll have,” said 
Mother, with a funny little smile. “Which kind?” said Percy. 
“Never mind,” said Mother, “just run along and pick your 
currants.” 

Percy ran on after Bess and overtook her half way across 
the garden. “What was that?” said Percy, as he stopped be- 
side Bess. “I thought I heard Bert’s whistle. That’s what it 
was, and there’s Bert now,” he added, dropping his pail and 
taking a short cut through the corn patch to the other side of 
the garden to where Bert stood looking over the high board 
fence. 

“See, Percy,” said Bert, “here’s the book Joe promised to 
lend us, and I thought we could sit out here under the big oak 
and look it over — come on.” “Oh, I can’t,” said Percy, “I’m 


20 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


going to pick currants for Mother, but put it up here on the 
fence and we’ll look at it for just a minute.” 

So Bert put the book on top of the fence and they began to 
look at the pictures. 

“Percy,” called Bess, running down to the berry patch at the 
other end of the garden, “I’m not going to wait for you another 
minute.” Percy, suddenly remembering the pies, jumped 
down from the fence, saying, “We’ll have to look at it some 
other time. I must go now.” 

So running back across the garden and picking up his pail 
he was soon seated under a large currant bush picking away 
busily. 

The currant and raspberry bushes were so near each other 
that Bess and Percy could talk as they worked. Presently 
Percy called out: “How are you getting along, Bess?” 
“Pretty well,” answered Bess, “my bucket is half full.” 

Then they worked away quietly for awhile till Bess said 
excitedly, “Oh, Percy, what do you think I’ve found? The 
dearest little bird’s nest. I know it’s an old one, so it will be 
all right for me to have it. Do come and help me get it.” 

Percy was over at the raspberry patch in a minute and with 
Bess’ help had soon pulled the nest from the thorny bushes. 
“Take care,” said Bess, as Percy stepped back from the bushes 
to hand her the nest, but she was too late. One of Percy’s 
feet went right into the pail of raspberries, tipping it over so 
that about half the berries went rolling away under the bushes. 

“Of course,” said Bess, half crying, “you’ll come out ahead 
now, for half my berries are gone and I’ll have to do my work 
over.” “No,” said Percy, “that was my fault and I’ll help you 
till you have as many as you had before.” 

So they both worked till the pail was as full as before the 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


21 


berries were spilled. Then Percy went back to his currants. 
When his bucket was full he began to pick the currants off 
the stems and had just finished when he heard Bess go past 
him up the garden path as hard as she could run. “Oh, you’ll 
not beat,” said Percy, as he started after her. 

Just before she reached the house, he passed her and 
bounded into the kitchen about tliree steps ahead of her. 
“Here are your currants. Mother,” he cried. “I told you we’d 
have currant pies, didn’t I?” 

“Oh,” said Mother, with that same queer little smile, “the 
pies are already made.” * 

“Why, Mother,” said Percy, reproachfully, “you said you’d 
make them of the fruit that was ready first.” 

“So I did,” answered Mother, as she stooped and took two 
pies from the oven, and that is exactly what I have done — we 
are to have cherry pies, Percy.” 

“Oh'* said Percy and Bess at the same time. 

As they turned and went out into the yard, each one doing 
some quiet thinking, they saw Rose over under the trees 
swinging as high as the swing would go. “Oh, Rose,” called 
Percy, “how did you happen to beat us?” “I don’t know,” 
answered Rose, “I just went right to work and never stopped 
till I had enough.” “Well, I don’t understand it,” said Percy, 
“you had so much father to go and then all the cherries to 
stone, I don’t understand it.” 

“I think I do,” said Mother. “And so do I,” said Rose, 
“and I’m sure Percy will too, if he thinks a little.” 


“WHAT HE COULD” 


Jimmie and his father lived alone on a big farm in a new 
country many miles from a town. Once every week he drove 
with his father to the little village of Sunnyside to buy food 
and other necessities for the next week. They usually went 
on Saturday and Jimmie always looked forward to the day. 

One Saturday morning just after breakfast Father said, 
“Jimmie, it looks as if we’d have a big storm and I think I’ll 
go to town right away that I may get back early in the after- 
noon. I’ll have to leave you here so that if it does begin to 
storm you can shut up the cows and the chickens and turkeys.” 

A shade of disappointment passed over Jimmie’s face, but 
he said nothing, for he wanted to do what Father thought was 
best. Kis father saw it, however, and said, “I’m sorry, Jim- 
mie, but I shouldn’t like to leave things here alone and I know 
you’ll take good care of them.” Then he hitched the horses 
to the wagon and drove away. 

He had been gone about an hour when it began to snow. 
The snow came down thick and fast. Presently the air was 
so thick with snowflakes that Jimmie couldn’t see the barn. 

“I think it’s a good thing I stayed,” said Jimmie, as he ran 
out to shut up the chickens. He soon had them all safe in- 
side the chicken-house and the turkeys with them. Then he 
hunted up the cows and the baby calf and shut them into the 
barn. “Well,” he said, “if it’s going to snow like this we’ll 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


23 


need plenty of wood tonight and tomorrow. I’ll just go to 
work and get in a good supply.” 

Jimmie worked hard and soon had a pile of wood in the 
kitchen big enough to last a week. ‘‘There,” said he, as he 
looked at the result of his work, “Father’ll be glad to see that. 
Now, it can’t be long before time for Father to come, so I’ll 
just get something ready to eat, for he’ll be hungry when he 
gets here.” 

So he put some things on the stove to cook and then sat 
down by the window to watch for Father. But the day wore 
on and Father didn’t come — evening came and he didn’t come 
— night came and still Father had not come. 

Then Jimmie began to feel a little anxious. All kinds of 
thoughts began to crowd into his mind. For a while he lis- 
tened to these thoughts. Then he said suddenly, “No, Father 
always says, ‘Worry does no good, so don’t worry.’ I’ll stop 
worrying and see what I can do. Well, I’ve got the supper 
ready, there’s plenty of wood for a fire, all the animals are 
cared for, now what can I do?” 

Jimmie thought for a moment and then a bright idea came 
to him. “Oh, I know,” he said, “I can put a light in the win- 
dow. Father’ll be glad of that.” So he got the big lamp, 
trimmed the wick and polished the chimney till it shone. 
Then he pulled a little table in front of the window and 
placed the lighted lamp upon it. 

“I wish I had a reflector,” thought the little boy. “Oh,” 
he exclaimed, “I know — I can use the big, new tin pan Father 
bought last Saturday. It’s just the thing.” So the bright tin 
pan was propped up behind the big lamp and Jimmie went 
out into the storm to see how far his light would shine. “It’s 


24 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


all right,” said he, ‘T believe Father can see it for a mile or 
two.” 

Then he went inside. “I don’t see any more I can do,” he 
said, as he sat down by the fire. Immediately the anxious 
thoughts began to come again. “No,” said Jimmie firmly, 
“Father says, ‘Don’t worry — it does no good to worry,’ so I’m 
not going to worry.” Then he took down some books from 
the shelf and read a while, as he and Father always did in the 
evening. After that he shut up the stove and went to bed. 
He hardly knew he was in bed before he was asleep. 

The next thing he knew he was awakened by the tramping 
of horses and the sound of voices. “Oh, Father’s come,” was 
his first thought. He ran out to the kitchen, opened the stove, 
put in some light wood that he might soon have a fire, and then 
ran to the door. No, it couldn’t be Father for there were 
several voices and one of them was a woman’s voice. In a 
moment the horses drew up in front of the door. “Hello,” 
said the voice. “Hello,” said Jimmie. “May we come in? 
We’re lost,” said the voice. “Certainly,” said Jimmie, and as 
he opened the door wide, in came a man, a lady and a little 
girl, each completely covered with snow. Jimmie at once 
took them out to his fire which was now hot and roaring. 
Then he listened to their story. 

“We started out early this morning,” said the man, “and 
had been out only a short time when it began to snow. We 
soon lost the road and have been wandering ever since. At 
last we saw your light and started for it, but it took us hours 
to get here.” 

They hadn’t had any food since morning and were wet 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


25 


through and through. Jimmie got them something to eat 
and did his best in helping them to get dry. 

Presently he looked at the clock. “It's only midnight," he 
said, “you may as well have Father’s bed and sleep till morn- 
ing.” So the strangers went to bed, and Jimmie shut up his 
fire and was soon fast asleep again. 

When they awoke the next morning the sky was as blue as 
if there had never been a cloud, and the snow which covered 
everything — trees, barn, fields and fences, sparkled like mil- 
lions of diamonds in the beautiful dazzling sunlight. 

Jimmie gave his visitors some breakfast and invited them 
to stay till Father came. “No,” said the man, “our friends 
will be anxious — we’ll go at once. But I want to tell you, my 
boy, that it was your light that saved us.” “I’m so glad,” 
said Jimmie, “I put it there for Father — it was all I could 
think to do.” Then they drove away and Jimmie was alone 
again. 

In a short time Father came home. “Yes, Jimmie,” he said, 
“I started home but the storm was so severe that I felt it 
would be foolish to keep on so I went back to town. I knew 
you’d be all right and I knew you’d be brave. Now tell me 
about yourself.” 

Then Jimmie told about the light and the lost travelers, 
“It was all I could see to do. Father,” said Jimmie, “and I’m 
so glad I did it.” “Yes,” answered Father, “when we do the 
very best we can see to do it is pretty apt to be the right 
thing and is sure to bring good to somebody.” 


BILLIE LION 


Billie’s father was very fond of telling stories, and Billie 
was very fond of hearing stories, so they had many good times 
together. 

One morning when Billie and his little brother Don were 
having some trouble their father said: “Billie, do you want 
me to tell you a story?” “Of course, I do,” said Billie 
eagerly. 

“Well,” said his father, as Billie settled himself in the big 
chair, “once upon a time as a man was traveling through a 
wild country covered with forests, he found a baby lion by the 
roadside. It looked like a big kitten and Mr. Man got out 
and took it into his buggy. He carried it home with him and 
turned it loose in the house with his children. 

“The children played with it several days and found it as 
gentle as a kitten. One morning a woodman who lived not 
far away called to see Mr. Man. ‘Why,’ he said, ‘where did 
you get that baby lion? Why do you keep it here?’ ‘I 
found it in the woods and it is perfectly harmless,’ said Mr. 
Man. ‘I know it seems harmless now,’ said the woodman, 
who knew a great deal about animals, but it will grow. 
After awhile it will begin to lose its baby ways and to show 
that it is a lion.’ ‘Oh, I don’t believe it will ever do any 
harm. I am sure I can always manage it,’ said Mr. Man. T 
don’t want to give it up.’ 

“So Mr. Man kept the lion, and the children continued to 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


27 


play with it. Several times the woodman said, T wish you’d 
take that lion back to the woods where he belongs. Some 
day you’ll be sorry you kept him.’ But Mr. Man only laughed 
and said, “He’ll never do me any harm — I’ll always be able 
to manage him.’ 

“By and by the lion began to be cross occasionally. He 
growled and waved his tail like a big cat. ‘Now,’ said the 
woodman one day, ‘Won’t you be sensible and send that lion 
away before he does harm to some one?’ Mr. Man laughed 
again and said, ‘I’m not afraid.’ So the woodman said no 
more. 

“After this he came over to see Mr. Man one day and heard 
a great noise long before he reached the house. He hurried 
on to see what was the trouble. When he entered the door 
he found a great commotion. Mr. Man had come in just in 
time to save one of his children from being hurt by the lion, 
and now the whole family was trying to drive him into the 
strong cage where he slept at night. With the help of the 
woodman, who had caught a great many lions, they soon had 
him safe in the cage. 

“ ‘Oh,’ said Mr. Man to the woodman, ‘I wish I had taken 
your advice — but it’s not too late now. I’ll send him away at 
once.’ So the lion was sent away and Mr. Man never again 
wanted a lion in his home.” 

Billie was very quiet for a few minutes, and then he said, 
“Father, I know why you told me that story. I’m Mr. Man, 
the lion is the anger that I allow to come into my thoughts 
so often, and you are the woodman. I’m going to be wiser 
than Mr. Man. I’m going to send my lion away while he’s 
little — not wait till he grows and does me or some one else 
harm. I thank you for the story.” 


HOW TOM SAVED POLLY 

Tom had a parrot whose name was Polly. He would say, 
“Polly, Polly, Polly, dear Polly,” and Polly would answer, 
“Tom, Tom, Tom, dear Tom.” She would say many other 
funny things. Tom loved Polly very much. 

When Polly saw Tom in the yard she would fly to a tree 
and say, “Catch me, Tom.” Then she would drop and fall 
into Tom’s hands. 

Sometimes Tom and Polly and Rover, Tom’s dog, would 
run a race. When they were all ready to start, Polly would 
say, “One, two, three, go,” and away they would run, Polly 
flying as close to the ground as she could, but Rover always 
won the race. 

Tom had taught Polly a little song which she often sang to 
herself or to any one who would listen. It was : 

“Be cheerful, be cheerful. 

And look for the light. 

Be cheerful, be cheerful. 

And all will be right.” 

When Polly sang it she always ended it with, “Tom, dear.” 

Polly and Rover were good friends, but Polly was always 
wide awake and sometimes wanted to talk when Rover wanted 
to sleep. Then she would fly down, sit on his head, and talk 
away as hard as she could. Rover would try to shake her off 
but Polly would hang on and keep on talking. Finally Rover 
would jump up, give a hard shake, and, before Polly knew 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


29 


what had happened, he would be running as hard as he could 
for the woods. Polly would fly after him but Rover knew he 
could beat her so he would keep on running till he was just 
out of sight of Polly and then he would find a quiet place 
where he could sleep in peace. 

After Tom had had Polly a number of years, Tom’s father 
decided to move to a city many hundreds of miles away. 

“Tom,” said Mother one day, as Tom was helping her with 
some packing, “you’ll have to give Polly away. We can’t 
take her with us.” “Why, Mother,” said Tom, “we’ve had 
Polly almost as long as we’ve had Jenny. I can’t leave Polly, 
mother.” 

“I know,” said Mother, “and I’m sorry but we are to take 
a long journey, we’ll be on the train several days, we’ll have 
only two seats and there’ll be you and Jenny and Baby and 
Mother and our lunches and wraps and a number of packages. 
There’ll be no room for Polly. Besides, you’ll have to look 
after Jenny and there’ll be no one to take care of Polly I’m 
sorry, Tom, but she can’t go. If Father were going with us 
we might find a way but you know he’ll have to make many 
shorter journeys and maybe can’t come for many months. 
You’d better be thinking and decide to whom you’d like to 
give her. Dolly Green would take good care of her.” 

Tom said no more but he did a good deal of thinking. “I 
know it’s right for Polly to go,” he thought, “and if it’s right 
there must be a way and if there’s a way of course I’ll find it.” 

Tom was very hopeful for several days and Polly sang to 
him many times : 

“Be cheerful, be cheerful, 

And look for the light. 

Be cheerful, be cheerful. 

And all will be right, Tom dear.” 

“Yes,” Tom would answer, “I’m trying to be cheerful, and 


30 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


I’m hoping it will come right.” But when there remained 
only a few days till time to begin their journey, Tom began 
to look a little sad and when Polly sang to him he would 
answer only, “Yes, Polly.” 



At last one even- 
ing Tom’s father 
said,“Well, Tom, I’m 
going to the depot to 
buy your tickets to- 
night so that you 
may start early to- 
morrow morning. Do 
you want to go with 
me?” “Yes,” an- 
swered Tom, but he 
was thinking about 
Polly. 

While Tom’s fath- 
er was buying the 
tickets and making 
some other necessary 
arrangements, Tom 
walked about the de- 
pot with a very sad 
face and at last two 
big tears rolled down 
his cheeks. 

“Why, my little 
man, what’s the mat- 
ter?” said a voice. 
Tom looked up and 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


31 


saw a big man standing beside him. Then some more tears 
came and Tom told the big man all about Polly. The man 
said, “Yes, I think you’re right and I think Polly ought to go 
and I’m sure there’s a way. That’s my train you’re going 
on tomorrow — I’m the conductor, you see. I’ve a special 
place on that train where I keep my own things. If you’ll 
lend Polly to me for a few days I’ll keep her with my things 
and take her through all right for you.” “Oh,” said Tom, 
“Oh!” 

Just then Tom’s father came up and the conductor talked it 
over with him. “All right,” said Father, “we’ll be very grate- 
ful to you. We couldn’t see any way to manage it.” 

Next morning Tom carried Polly to the train. The con- 
ductor was watching for him and took charge of Polly at 
once. Father helped them on the train, arranged all their 
packages and boxes, said “Good-bye,” and away the train flew. 

Every day the conductor stopped as he went through the 
train to tell Tom something about Polly. “She talks about 
you often,” he said one day, “and she sings a nice little song.” 
“Yes, I know,” said Tom. 

When they reached the end of the journey and the conductor 
came to help them off he had Polly with him. When every 
body and every thing else was off, the conductor handed 
Polly to Tom. “Mr. Conductor,” said Tom, you’ll never 
know how much I thank you.” “Yes, I do,” said the con- 
ductor. “I’ve been a boy myself, and I once had a parrot.” 

As the train pulled out from the depot the conductor waved 
his hand at them and Polly called out in her loudest voice : 
“Be cheerful, be cheerful. 

And look for the light. 

Be cheerful, be cheerful. 

And all will be right.” 


OLD FRIENDS 


One evening * just after supper Ben’s father said, “Ben, 
I’ll have to ask you to go over to Mr. Wells’ with some money 
for me tonight. Mr. Wells is going away early in the morn- 
ing and he’ll need this money. I’m too busy or I’d go my- 
self. You can ride Trotter and it won’t take you long.” 

“But, Father,” said mother, “John rode Trotter to town 
this afternoon and won’t be home till late tonight.” 

“Well, then,” said father, “I’ll have to ask you to walk, for 
Mr. Wells must have this money. I’m sorry but it can’t be 
helped.” 

“All right,” said Ben, and he took the money and started. 
It was about a mile and a half to Mr. Wells’ house, but Ben 
knew every bit of the way. He had been over the road 
hundreds of times. In fact, it was the road he took to school 
every day. 

It was a delightful road with tall trees on one side all the 
way. On the other side were meadows and clover fields and 
pastures full of cattle. 

Ben was enjoying his walk, whistling softly to himself as he 
hurried along when suddenly he stopped whistling and stood 
still. Just ahead of him in a gap in the trees was a strange 
looking object. It looked like a man, very tall and white, 
and seemed to have both arms stretched out. Ben looked at 
it for a moment and then began to feel afraid. The more he 
looked at it the more afraid he grew. At last he thought, “I 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


33 


can’t go on past that thing. I’ll have to go back. But then, 
Father said Mr. Wells must have the money. I can’t go back, 
but what shall I do?” 

Then Ben began to reason with himself. “I suppose I’m 
more scared than hurt,” he said. “That surely isn’t anything 
that can hurt me. I don’t know any reason why any one 
should want to hurt me.” In this way he kept on reasoning 
till his courage began to return. “There’s only one thing I 
can do,” said he, “I’ll have to walk right up to that thing and 
find out what it is or I’ll never know the truth about it — so 
here I go!” So Ben marched briskly on, keeping his eye on 
the strange looking object all the time. 

When he had reached a point where the other trees did 
not obstruct his view he suddenly stopped again. “Well, 
Ben Green,” he said, “you’re a good one.” Right in front 
of him was an old dead sycamore tree with its branches 
stretched out like arms. It looked white and shining in the 
pale moonlight. Ben looked at it a moment and then hurried 
on, all his fear gone. “Why,” he said to himself, “I’ve seen 
that tree hundreds of times. In fact, it’s an old friend of mine 
— I’ve climbed it many times — and I think I’ve learned a lesson 
tonight and it’s this: “When you see anything that scares 
you, no matter how much, the best way is just to pick up your 
courage and walk right up to it. When you get to it you’ll 
find it wasn’t anything to be afraid of and probably you’ll find 
it’s an old friend, as I found with this tree.” 


JACK AND THE FLAG 


Jack lived near a small river. Although the river was not 
large there were many places where it broadened out till it 
seemed almost like a lake. In these lakes were many little 
islands. 

Jack lived near one of these wide places. Not far from his 
home was a narrow wagon bridge across the river. This 
bridge had been built many years and was not considered 
safe for teams any longer though it was still used as a foot 
bridge. The people of the neighborhood often had picnics 
on the other side of the river. At such times they decorated 
the old bridge with flags and gay colors. 

One spring morning Jack’s mother had to go away to be 
gone several days so she sent him across the river to stay with 
Aunt Belle till she came home. 

The country people had just been having a picnic and the 
bridge was bright with flags. 

As soon as Jack came in sight of the bridge he looked for 
the large beautiful new flag which had been raised higher than 
any of the others. It seemed to be missing but when he came 
to the bridge he saw that it had been torn from the staff by 
the wind and the bright colors were trailing so that they 
almost touched the water. 

Now Jack had been taught in school to love and respect 
the flag under all circumstances, so, on finding it was held 
only by a few threads, his first thought was to save it. He 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


35 


tried various ways to get it but it was just out of reach. 
Finally he swung himself over the side of the bridge, holding 
on to the railing with one hand. He had just seized the flag 
in the other hand when the railing gave way and Jack landed 
in the river with the flag in one hand and the piece of railing 
in the other. 

The water wasn’t very deep, although it was over Jack’s 
head, but he knew how to float, so he wasn’t much scared 
after the first few minutes. 

“Well,” said he, “I’ll just have to lie here and float till I 
float into something. Perhaps somebody will come along in 
a boat and see me.” 

He floated for what seemed to him a long time, but at last 
he drifted right up against the land and was on his feet in a 
minute. Then he noticed for the first time that he still had 
the flag in his hand. 

The land was one of the little islands. It, like the others, 
was covered with trees and bushes. 

“I’m glad to be on land again, anyway,” said Jack, “if it is 
only an island. I wonder how long I’ll have to stay here.” 

Little boats went up and down the river sometimes, but 
they were only row boats used for pleasure trips and some- 
times no boat was seen on the river for several days. Besides, 
this island was at one side of the stream and there were 
several other little islands between this and the channel where 
the boats were rowed. 

For a while Jack sat and listened for the sound of oars, but 
when the sun got so high that he knew it was noon he felt 
there was little chance that a boat would come by that day. 

Then he began to look around a little. There beside him 


36 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


lay the flag, wet and draggled, to be sure, but still the flag. 
“Well,” he said, looking at the brilliant colors, got me 

into this trouble — you ought to help me out. Yes, and you 
can,” he added, quickly, “I know what I’ll do with you.” 

Then away he went and looked all over the island for long 
slender sticks. Soon he had a great pile beside him. Next he 
went to the edge of the water and pulled an armful of the tall 
grass that grew there. Then he sat down and began to bind 
the sticks into one long, stout pole with the grass. 

“I must make this staff so long,” he said, “that it will reach 
way above the tallest trees, or nobody will see it, and it must 
be strong and firm too.” 

So he worked away busily for a long time. Finally he 
felt that his staff was as long as he could make it and have it 
stand up straight. Then he fastened the flag to one end and 
leaned the pole against the trunk of the tallest tree he could 
find. 

He then climbed to the top of the tree, pulling the pole up 
after him. With some more of the strong grass he bound 
the pole to one of the straight limbs of the tree. 

Then he climbed down and sat looking at the water. At 
last evening came on and Jack cuddled down at the root of 
the big tree and went fast asleep. 

When Jack’s father and big brother Will went home from 
work they had to cross the bridge, and Will noticed at once 
that the big flag was gone. As they stood wondering what 
had become of it they saw a flag floating high above the 
trees down the river. They stood and talked for a while, 
trying to think who could have put the flag there. Then 
they went home and had their supper. 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


37 


After supper Father said, 'T think we’d better go over to 
Aunt Belle’s and see how Jack’s getting along. We can 
spend the evening there and come home by moonlight.” 

When they had been at Aunt Belle’s some time and had 
not seen Jack, Father said, “Where’s Jack? He hasn’t gone 
to bed this early, has he?” “Jack?” said Aunt Belle, “Jack’s 
not here.” 

Then there was a great deal of talking and wondering about 
Jack. At last Father said, “I think we’d better take a boat 
and row down to where we saw that flag. When I first saw it 
floating so high above the trees I thought that was a queer 
place for it. I don’t see how anybody got it so high. You 
all remember how Jack loves the flag, and I feel sure that 
when we get to the flag we’ll find out something about Jack.” 

So Will and Father were soon in a little boat rowing down 
the river. When they reached the island they pulled their 
boat on land and began to look for the tree where the flag 
was fastened. 

In a few minutes they came upon Jack, sleeping as soundly 
as if he were at home in his own bed. Will picked him up and 
laid him gently in the bottom of the boat. Then they rowed 
back to the bridge where Aunt Belle was waiting for them. 
When she saw that Jack was safe she went home and Will 
carried Jack and laid him on his own bed. 

Jack slept so soundly that Father had to call him several 
times the next morning. When at last he opened his eyes 
and saw Father and Will looking at him he was puzzled. “I 
thought I went to sleep on the island,” he said. “How did I 
get here?” Then Father and Will told their story, after 
which Jack told his. “Well,” he said, when his story was 
finished, “you know the saying: ‘One good turn deserves 
another.’ I saved the flag, and the flag saved me.” 


DOBBIN^S TARDY MARK 


The little school-house in the Cloverdale District had a 
great stretch of green pastures and meadows on one side and 
the most delightful grove of oaks and maples on the other. 

Many of the children in the school came a long distance. 
Most of them walked, some came on wheels and a few came 
in carts. In pleasant weather the horses were fastened to 
the trees in the grove till the children were ready to go home. 

During the whole year there had not been one tardy mark 
in the school and now that the morning of the last day had 
come each child was there a long time before the opening of 
school and anxious to see that every other child was on time. 

When it was almost time for school to begin some one dis- 
covered that Robin and little Sue were missing. Robin and 
Sue were two little people who came in a cart drawn by 
patient, good-natured Dobbin. 

“Oh, dear,” said Fannie and Bess at the same time, “now 
we’re going to have some tardy marks after all.” 

Then they ran to Miss Mead, all talking at once. “Oh, 
dear. Miss Mead, we’re going to have two tardy marks after 
all — Robin and Sue are not in sight and it’s almost time for 
the bell. What shall we do?” 

“I don’t understand it,” said Miss Mead, Robin and Sue 
are always here in such good time. I think we ought to see 
if they’re in any trouble. Ned, you’d better take your wheel 
and go to the corner and perhaps you can see them. The road 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


39 


is so straight from there that you can see almost to their 
house and if they are anywhere on the road you will be sure 
to see Dobbin’s white coat, then you can hurry them up a 
little.” 

So Ned went off on his wheel and Miss Mead and the other 
children watched him till he turned the corner. 

Just as the bell rang to call the children to line, one of the 
girls who was watching from the top of the fence called out, 
“Here they come! Here they come! They’re just turning 
the corner.” 

Down the road came Dobbin as fast as he could come, with 
Ned on the wheel beside him. 

Robin and Sue jumped from the cart, Ned tied Dobbin to 
the hitching post and the three children marched in and took 
their seats with the others. 

Then Miss Mead and the other children had to hear the 
whole story. 

“It was all Dobbin’s fault,” said Ned, “and you’ll never 
guess what was the matter. As soon as I got to the corner 
I could see Dobbin way down the road. I waited some time 
but as he did not seem to get any nearer I knew he must be 
standing still, so I got on my wheel and rode to meet them. 

“You know the trees along this side of the road are like a 
solid green wall. Since yesterday morning some one had 
put up a big sign freshly painted white, right against the 
dark green trees. 

“When I got nearly up to Dobbin I saw the sign and knew 
exactly what was the trouble. The sun was shining on the 
newly painted sign in such a way that it shone like the head- 


40 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


light of an engine. As soon as Dobbin had caught a glimpse 
of it he had stopped and refused to go another step. 

“Robin had coaxed and talked and at last had climbed out 
of the cart and tried to pull Dobbin along. But Dobbin 
wouldn’t move. He stood still looking straight at the big 
light, thinking, no doubt, that it was a train and he would 
stand there till it moved on out of his way. Robin and Sue 
couldn’t come and leave him, so there they both sat in the 
cart. 

“ ‘Come on, Dobbin,’ I said, taking hold of his bridle and 
patting his head, there’s nothing there to hurt you. But 
Dobbin stood perfectly still, never taking his eyes off the 
sign. 

“Then I saw I’d have to do something besides talk to 
Dobbin. I’d have to show him that there was nothing about 
that terrible looking thing to hurt him or anybody. So I 
walked straight up to the sign, leaned against it and rubbed 
my hands over it, all the while watching Dobbin to see what 
he was thinking. 

“He watched me very intently for a minute or two, then 
giving his head several good shakes, as if he said, ‘Oh, it’s all 
right. I’ll go on now,’ he took his eyes off the sign and 
trotted off up the road.” 

“Yes,” said Sue, “and if Ned hadn’t come to help us I think 
he would have stayed there till sun-down.” 

“Well,” said Bess, “Robin and Sue didn’t make any tardy 
marks, anyway, for they marched in with us and were in their 
places as soon as the others.” 

“No,” answered Miss Mead, “but I think we’ll have to put 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


41 


down a tardy mark for Dobbin, for he’s still at the hitching' 
post and his place is in the grove.” 

The children all laughed and clapped their hands for joy 
that every child had been in his place at the right time for a^ 
whole year, while Ned went out to put Dobbin in his place. 


BUTTONS 


Buttons was Fred’s dog. Fred called him Buttons because 
he had a row of black spots down his back that looked like a 
row of black buttons, and Fred said he looked as if he had on 
a white coat buttoned down the back. 

Fred had taught Buttons to do many funny things, and the 
two were always together. 

One cold winter day, late in the afternoon, Fred’s mother 
said, "‘Fred, I want you to take this bag of doughnuts to 
Aunt Mary for me.” So Fred took the bag of doughnuts and 
started off followed by Buttons. 

“I think I’ll go around by Mr. Reed’s and cross over his 
bridge,” thought Fred. “I want to see how thick the ice is 
just above the bridge.” 

Just before he got to the bridge he saw Mr. Reed cross 
over in his carriage and he knew that probably no one would 
cross the bridge again that night. It was a private bridge 
used only by Mr. Reed’s family and was badly worn in many 
places. Fred often wondered why Mr. Reed did not keep it 
in better repair. 

When he reached the bridge he stood for a time looking at 
the crust of ice and wondering if it would be thick enough for 
skating tomorrow. Suddenly, remembering Aunt Mary and 
the doughnuts, he started rapidly across the bridge. When he 
had almost reached the other side he stepped on a loose board. 
The board flew up and one of Fred’s legs went down into the 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


43 


hole past his knee. At the same time the bag of doughnuts 
flew out of his hand — the doughnuts were scattered all over 
the ice and the bag stuck fast on a little bush beside the 
stream. 

“Well/’ said Fred, as he struggled to free himself, “this 
isn’t a very comfortable position. It wouldn’t be very pleas- 
ant to stay here all night. It’s too cold and I think it’s going 
to snow.” But the more Fred worked the tighter his leg was 
wedged into the hole. 

Buttons barked and jumped around and did his best to be 
encouraging. 

Fred worked and tried for a long time. Finally, feeling a 
little discouraged, he said to Buttons, “Well, Buttons, what 
shall we do? There won’t be anybody coming this way to- 
night and Mother’ll never think of looking here for me for 
she didn’t know I was coming this way. You’d like to help 
me, wouldn’t you. Buttons?” he said, as Buttons barked and 
rubbed against him. “There must be some way out of this 
— the only thing is to find it.” 

Presently he said, “Oh, I know, Buttons, you can help me. 
I’ll just write a little note and you can carry it home to 
Mother.” One of the things that Buttons had learned to do 
was to carry notes to Mother for Fred, and whenever Fred 
gave him a piece of paper of any kind he at once ran with it 
to Mother. But when Fred had looked through all his 
pockets he found he had neither paper nor pencil. He had 
only his knife and a bunch of matches. “I don’t see what I 
can do with these,” he said as he sat looking at them. “Yes, 
I do,” he added in a moment, “I can whittle one of these old 
pieces of board smooth and write my note on that. But then 


44 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


I haven’t any pencil. Well, never mind, I’ll just smooth off 
the board and be thinking what to do about the pencil while 
I’m whittling.” When he had smoothed a piece of board three 
of four inches square another thought came: ‘T can sharpen 
a little stick, burn the end with one of my matches and write 
with that.” So he made his pencil and in a short time had 
his note ready. It said, ‘‘I’m fast in Mr. Reed’s bridge. 
Please send Henry to help me.” 

‘‘Now, Buttons,” said Fred, ‘‘run with this to Mother and 
I’ll soon be out.” But Buttons wouldn’t take it. He had 
always taken notes written on paper, he didn’t know anything 
about notes written on pieces of wood. Fred coaxed and 
patted, but Buttons wouldn’t have anything to do with it. 

‘‘What shall I do?” said Fred. ‘‘There must be a way. 
I’ll have to do some more thinking — if I only had a piece of 
paper.” Then he began to look around. He saw the paper 
bag stuck fast on the little bush. “If I only could get that,” 
said Fred. “Go get it. Buttons.” But Buttons wouldn’t go. 
“Perhaps if I throw some sticks down on the paper he will 
bring it to me with the sticks,” thought Fred. So he threw 
down stick after stick. Buttons ran down and brought back 
every stick, but he didn’t bring the paper. “Oh, Buttons,” 
said Fred, “please bring me that paper.” But Buttons only 
barked and jumped about. 

“Well,” said Fred, “I’ll just have to think some more. 
Oh,” he said suddenly, “I’ll whittle off a stick at one end till 
it is very sharp. Then I’ll throw it so that it will stick into 
the paper, and then Buttons, old fellow, when you bring the 
stick you’ll have to bring the paper too.” 

In a few minutes he had the stick ready. Then he threw 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


45 


it as hard as he could but it didn’t stick in the paper. But-' 
tons brought it back and Fred tried again. He kept trying 
in this way for a long time and every time Buttons brought 
back the stick. Finally when he was beginning to think 
he’d have to find some other way, he aimed at the paper very 


carefully, and 
and the stick went 
“Oh, good!” 
it. Buttons.” Away 
minute came back 
mouth and th 


threw as hard as he could 
straight into the paper, 
cried Fred, “run and get 
went Buttons and in a 
with the stick in his 
per hanging to it. 





46 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


Fred scratched one of his matches, burned his stick pencil 
again, wrote a little note on a piece of the paper, and said, 
“Here, Buttons, now take this to Mother.’* 

This was the kind of letter Buttons was used to carrying 
so he took it in his mouth and ran toward home. 

It soon grew dark, but Fred knew that Buttons would carry 
the note to Mother, so he felt safe. 

After awhile he heard a long, loud whistle coming nearer. 
He knew the whistle and thought, “Henry’s whistling to 
cheer me up.” 

In a few minutes Henry came into sight with the ax on his 
shoulder. Soon he had chopped away the board that held 
Fred fast, and they started for home. 

“Well, Buttons,” said Fred as they hurried along, “you 
were a friend in need this time. You helped me out, didn’t 
you?” And Buttons barked and jumped as if he said, “I did 
my best.” 


NELLIE’S RING 


Nellie had a little gold ring with a real pearl in it. It was 
her greatest treasure. Grandma had given it to her when she 
was a very little girl. Grandma had a friend who was a pearl 
diver and he had brought this pearl up from the bottom of the 
sea. Do you wonder that Nellie treasured it? The ring was 
fastened to a little blue ribbon which she wore about her neck. 

On day when George came home from school at noon he 
said, “Oh, Nell, we were talking about gems and jewels at 
school today and I told the teacher about your pearl. She 
said she should like to see it, so I told her I’d bring it to 
school if you’d let me. You know I’d be very, very careful of 
it, Nell. I’d let the teacher keep it until time to come home. 
May I take it?” “Oh, George,” said Nellie, “I’m afraid 
you’d — .” Then she stopped and said, “Yes, I know you’ll 
be very careful; of course you may take it.” 

So George took the little ring to school and after all the 
children had had a look at it. Miss Rose put it into her desk. 
When school was over she wrapped it in a piece of paper 
and put it down in the bottom of George’s pocket. George put 
his handkerchief on top and crowded it down tight so that the 
ring couldn’t jump out when he walked. 

On the way home he met three other boys. Part of the 
way home was through a little wood. “Let’s run a race,” 
said one of the boys. “Let’s see who’ll get to the other side 
of the wood first.” “All right. I’ll start you,” said George, 


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swinging his handkerchief in the air, ‘‘one, two, three, go!” 
Away they went and George walked after them, wondering 
which boy would come out ahead. 

When the race had been decided George went home and 
did not think of the ring again till he saw Nellie at dinner. 
“Oh, Nell,” he said, putting his hand into his pocket, “here’s 
your ring, as good as ever.” 

“Why, Nell, he said, after feeling in his pockets for some 
time, “it isn’t here. I’ve lost it.” “Oh, no, George, surely 
you haven’t lost it,” said Nellie. “But I have, Nell, and I 
know how it happened,” he added, as he remembered the 
race. “I must have pulled it out of my pocket when I waved 
my handkerchief to start the boys. I’ll find it. I’ll go right 
now.” And off he went. He looked a long time, and he 
looked carefully, but he couldn’t find the ring. 

“I’m so sorry, Nell,” he said, “I don’t know what to do 
about it!” “Well, never mind,” said Nellie bravely, “I think 
we’ll find it some time. I’m going to hope so, anyway, so 
let’s not think anything more about it.” 

Several weeks later George came in with a handful of wild 
flowers. “Where did you get them?” asked Nellie. “Down 
in the wood,” said George, “the ground is just blue with 
them.” “Let’s run and get a big bunch,” said Nellie. So 
away they ran. 

“Oh, see here, George,” said Nellie, who was running ahead. 
“Here’s a little bird fallen from its nest. I wonder where the 
nest is.” “I see it,” said George. “It’s way up in the top of 
that tallest tree. Birdie’s had a long fall and he’ll never be 
able to get back.” 

“But George, we must put him back,” said Nellie, “we can’t 
leave him here.” 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


49 


“How can we?” said George. “I couldn’t climb that tree 
with a bird in my hand, and if I tried to climb with him in 
my pocket I’d be sure to smash him.” “I know a way,” said 
Nellie. “I’ll take off my apron, make a little bag of it, put 
birdie into that and tie it around your neck, letting it hang 
down your back. Then you can carry him safely to his 
nest.” “Well, I’ll try it,” said George. So the baby bird 
was put into Nellie’s apron and George started up the tree. 

He climbed very carefully and soon reached the nest. 
“Oh, Nell,” he called down excitedly, “what do you think?” 
“I don’t know what to think, George,” answered Nell. “You 
act as if you’d found a gold mine. What is it?” “I have 
found a gold mine,” said George, “I’ve found your ring. It’s 
here in this nest. The mother bird has woven the ribbon 
into the nest, but the ring is hanging on the outside. I’ll 
just take my knife and cut off the ring. The birds may keep 
the ribbon.” After putting the baby into the nest, George 
carefully cut the ribbon and without disturbing the birds 
removed the ring from the nest. 

As they walked home, forgetting all about the flowers, 
Nellie said, “Well, George, aren’t you glad you decided to 
put the little bird back into its nest? If you hadn’t put him 
back you wouldn’t have found the ring. You see good al- 
ways comes to us from doing the right thing.” “No,” said 
George, “it was you who always said we’d find it sometime, 
and if it hadn’t been for you I shouldn’t have tried to put 
him back. I think it was you who found the ring, Nell.” 


THE NEW BRIDGE 


“Come, boys,” said Mother early one morning, “I have a 
basket full of eggs ready for you to carry to the store, 
and I want you to be back promptly at 10 o’clock.” 

“All right,” said Phil, “may Lucy go with us?” “I think 
Lucy had better stay at home,” said Mother, “for you boys 
can walk faster than she can.” “No,” said Teddy, “Lucy can 
keep up with us any day. She’s a fine walker. Please let 
her go. Mother.” 

“Very well,” said Mother, “only be sure to be back by 10 
o’clock.” 

So off they went, Phil and Teddy carrying the basket be- 
tween them, and Lucy and their dog Rover running along 
behind. 

It was only a mile to the town, and they had soon reached 
it and delivered their eggs to Mr. Brooks, the grocer. 

As they started for home, Lucy said, “Oh, Phil, run back 
and ask Mr. Brooks what time it is. If it isn’t too late I 
want to pick a big bunch of those blue-bells along the road 
for Mother.” So Phil ran back to the store, while Lucy and 
Teddy walked on. 

In a few minutes Phil overtook them. “It’s all right,” said 
he, “plenty of time to pick all the flowers you want.” When 
they came to the blue-bells, they all stopped and the boys 
helped Lucy till she had a big bunch. 

Just as they were ready to start on, Harry Stone came 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


51 


driving along with his donkey and cart. “Hello, boys,” he 
said, “have you seen the new bridge over the river? You 
know it’s the most wonderful bridge in the country. It will 
soon be finished.” 

“Yes, I know,” said Phil, “and I do so much want to see 
it.” “Well, jump in,” said Harry, “and I’ll take you over. 
I go by it on my way home.” 

“No,” said Teddy, “we have to be back by 10 o’clock, and 
we won’t have time.” “Oh, come on,” said Harry, “of course, 
you’ll have time. It’s only a mile from here, and the donkey 
can go fast when he tries. I’ll bring you back as far as this. 
Come on, Phil.” So Phil jumped into the cart, and off they 
went, leaving Lucy and Teddy to go home alone. 

Somehow Phil didn’t feel very comfortable in his mind 
as the donkey jogged slowly along the road. “Harry,” he 
said, “I’m afraid I shouldn’t have come. I’m afraid we won’t 
be back by 10 o’clock. “Oh, yes, we will,” said Harry, “and 
that bridge is a sight everybody ought to see.” 

After a while they came to a little stream which the donkey 
had to wade across, as there was no bridge. The banks 
were very steep and the donkey didn’t like to go down into 
the water, but Harry finally succeeded in getting him down, 
and they went splash, splash over to the other side. 

When they started up the opposite bank the donkey decided 
that he wouldn’t go any farther, and came to a stop so 
suddenly that both of the boys bounced out of the cart and 
into the water. The water wasn’t deep, so no harm was done, 
only they were wet through and through. 

Phil climbed into the cart, and by much coaxing and petting 
Harry led the donkey to the top of the bank. 

By this time Phil felt it was getting pretty late. “Harry,” 


52 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


he said, ‘T mus’n’t try to go any farther. Let’s go back.” 
”1 can’t get the donkey across that stream again,” said Harry. 

You’ll just have to wade, Phil, and besides I’m as wet as 
can be. I’ll have to go on home.” 

When Phil reached home it was just noon. Mother got 
some dry clothes for him, and then they sat down to lunch. 
She didn’t say anything. Phil wished she would. He ate 
his lunch expecting every moment to see Lucy and Teddy. 
When lunch was finished and they had not appeared, he 
said, “Where are Ted and Lucy?” “I sent them away,” 
answered Mother, and then she sent Phil into the garden to 
pull weeds. 

Phil worked hard all the afternoon wondering all the while 
where Mother had sent Lucy and Ted. 

Late in the afternoon a big auto full of children came flying 
down the road and stopped in front of the gate. Out jumped 
Lucy and Ted and away went the auto. Lucy had a great 
bunch of violets and Teddy had a big basket. They ran at 
once to the house, and Phil kept on pulling weeds. In a 
few minutes Mother called him to supper. When they were 
all at the table, she said, “Now, Teddy, tell us all about your 
trip.” 

“Well,” said Teddy, “first Mr. Oaks took us to River’s 
Park. I tell you it’s a fine place. We saw fifteen monkeys, 
and I don’t know how many parrots. The parrots all talked 
at once. They said all kinds of funny things. ‘Hello, boys, 
hello! Come again, please. Good-bye, friends, good-bye,’ 
and many other things. 

“Then we went to the big field, over by the woods, where 
the ground is just blue with violets. We picked all those,” 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


53 


pointing to the large bunch which Lucy had placed on the 
table. 

“Next we had our lunch under some big trees, where a little 
spring of cool water was just bubbling out of the ground. 
My, but that cake and sandwiches were good! Mr. Oaks 
seems to know all the interesting places in the country. 

“After lunch he took us over to the wild strawberry fields. 
You should have been there, Phil. I think there were wagon 
loads of berries, and everyone as sweet as sugar. You’ll 
see when it’s time for dessert, won’t he. Mother? 

“And last, but not least, was our ride to see the new bridge 
on our way home. I tell you it’s a grand sight. 

“Well, Mother,” he added, “we’ve had a fine day, and I 
think Mr. Oaks was very kind to do so much for the chil- 
dren of the neighborhood. It seems to me we’ve traveled a 
hundred miles today.” 

“Yes,” said Mother, “I knew you’d have a good time. 
That was why I wanted you to be home by 10 o’clock. Mr. 
Oaks said he couldn’t wait for anyone who wasn’t ready 
at that time.” 

When supper was over, Phil went out to get in his wood. 
He didn’t say anything, but he did a good deal of thinking. 


IN BLACKBERRY TIME 

Mark lived in a country where one could travel miles and 
miles and see nothing but great fields of corn. He had 
many good times, but those he enjoyed most were the long 
journeys to the woods ten miles away, where he went with 
Father and Mother three or four times every summer to 
gather wild blackberries. 

There were so many pleasant things about these trips — 
first there was the getting up very early in the still, clear 
morning, long before the sun was up, and then the long ride 
in the big wagon on a great bed of hay, or on his pony, Dap- 
ple Dee. They usually reached the blackberry fields before 
the dew was gone in the thick woods, and the air was sweet 
with the fragrance of mint and other wild things. 

As soon as Father had found a suitable place for the horses 
and wagon, they all started out to find a good blackberry 
patch. They never had to hunt long, for the woods were 
full of them, and they often found places where they could 
pick a big bucketful without taking one step. 

Mark and his mother always ran a race to see who could 
pick the most berries. Sometimes Mark came out ahead, 
but Mother usually won, because she was taller and could 
reach higher and farther than he. 

When noon came they had their lunch — and Mother al- 
ways had something especially nice for a blackberrying 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


55 


lunch — in some pleasant, grassy spot under the trees, and 
sometimes by a little brook of cool water. 

After lunch they went to work again and picked berries 
till time to start home. 

They usually brought one or two tubs and took them home 
filled with berries, and Mother was always busy for several 
days after, canning blackberries, making blackberry jam, 
jelly, and other good things for the winter. 

The first time they went blackberrying the summer Baby 
Maud began to talk was one Mark never forgot . 

They got up that morning early as usual, and Mark was 
so full of joy that they were really going that he didn’t know 
what to do. He helped Mother get the breakfast, fed the 
chickens and cows, helped Father harness the horses, and 
then, not seeing anything else he could do, stood by the gate 
thinking, and this thought came to him, “I know what I’ll 
do. I’ll play a trick on Father. I’ll just fasten Dolly’s 
bridle to the bucket and lower it into the well, then when 
Father looks for it, it will be such fun to tell him it’s so warm 
the bridle’s gone for a drink. Of course. I’ll get it for him in 
a minute.” 

Now, Mark knew that this was not the right kind of thought 
and he knew he should not listen to it, for he was very fond 
of playing jokes and had found that they nearly always ended 
in trouble for somebody. 

However, he did listen, got Dolly’s bridle and leaned with 
it in his hand over the well to pull up the bucket, when down 
went the bridle and Mark heard it splash in the water at 
the bottom. 

“Oh, I wish I hadn’t done it,” said Mark, but there was 


56 


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nothing to do but to run and tell Father about it. Then 
he and Father worked with a rake on the end of a long rope, 
with sticks and hooks and all kinds of things to get the bridle, 
for, of course, Dolly couldn’t help draw the wagon without 
her bridle. 

When at last they got the bridle the sun was up, and so 
they all missed that part of the ride which was most beau- 
tiful, the part that was to have been taken in the cool of the 
early morning. 

“Mark,” said Father, as they finished putting on Dolly’s 
bridle, “I wish you’d learn something from this. No good 
ever comes from jokes of this kind, and sometimes much harm 
and inconvenience. You’ve really spoiled the morning for 
the whole family.” 

Mark felt very much ashamed and promised himself that 
this should be his last trick. 

At last they got started. Father and Mother on the seat 
in front, Baby Maud on the bed of hay in the back and Mark 
trotting along beside them on Dapple Dee. Mark kept close 
to the wagon where he could talk to Baby Maud, for she 
was the dearest thing in the world to him, and no wonder 
for she always woke in the morning with a happy, smiling 
little face, and was as gay and joyous as a bird all day long. 

When they reached the woods, Father found a good place 
for the horses, then he joined Mother and Mark, who were 
already busy picking berries. Mark thought the berries had 
never been so big and so sweet before. He and Mother ran 
a race before lunch and Mark won. After lunch, they ran 
another race and Mark won again. “I think it’s because I’m 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


57 


getting taller, Mother, and can reach almost as far as you can,” 
he said. 

When all their bas- 
kets were full, Father 
said, “It’s about time 
to start home. Mark, 
you’d better take Dap- 
ple Dee and go on 
ahead and feed the 
cows and chickens be- 
fore dark. We’ll come 
as soon as we get all 
the things together.” 

So Mark mounted 
Dapple Dee and started 
for home. Mother got 
the lunch things picked 
up. Father hitched the 
horses to the wagon 
and when everything 
was ready to start. 
Mother went to the 
shady place where she 
had left Baby Maud 
asleep on a blanket. 
There was the blanket, 
but where was Baby 
Maud? She was not 
there. Mother called 
Then she looked among the trees and bushes 



and called her. 


all around, but could find no trace of her. Then she went to 


58 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


Father and they both looked and called till it began to grow 
dark. They both tried not to be afraid, hoping every moment 
to hear the baby voice answer them. 

At last Father said, ‘T don’t see anything to do but to go 
home — maybe Mark will know something that will help us 
in finding her. So they walked around bushes, under trees 
and over the little paths till they came to the horses and 
wagon. Then they soon were started for home. 

It seemed a long, long ride, though Father made the horses 
go as fast as they could. Mother tried to be brave, but the 
tears kept coming. 

When they drove up to the gate, Mark was standing in the 
door looking for them. He couldn’t understand why they 
should be so late, as it had been dark several hours. 

Mother jumped out of the wagon apnd ran to the house. 
“Oh, Mark,” she said, “do you know anything about Baby 
Maud?” “Baby Maud?” said Mark. “What do you mean? 
Isn’t she with you?” “No,” answered Mother, “when we 
were ready to start we couldn’t find her.” Mark could see 
that Mother had been crying all the way home, and he be- 
gan to be frightened, too. “I don’t know” — he began, and 
then stopping suddenly, he said, “Wait a minute. Mother,” 
and dashed out of the door and down to the gate. In a few 
minutes he came running back with Baby Maud in his arms. 
She had just wakened from her nap and was all smiles as 
usual. “Oh, Mark, where was she?” asked Mother, as she 
took the little girl in her arms. 

“Mother,” answered Mark, “I’m ashamed to tell you. 
When I started from the woods I stopped to kiss Baby Maud 
— she looked so sweet as she lay asleep. Then I thought 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


59 


it would be a good joke to put her into the wagon so that 
when you looked on the blanket you wouldn’t find her. I 
supposed, of course, you’d find her when you came to the 
wagon. I never thought there’d be any trouble about it. 
I pulled the straw over her, because it was getting cool and 
I suppose that is why you did not see her. She slept all the 
way home, and was still asleep when I went to get her. 
Mother, I’m so sorry.” 

“Well,” replied Mother, “Father and I have suffered a great 
deal in the last two or three hours, Mark.” 

“Mother, I know it,” said Mark, “and I promise you this 
will be my last joke — now remember — my last joke.” 

And Mark kept his word. 


SNOWBALL 


Frank had always lived in the city until he went to live 
with Grandma and Grandpa on the farm at Willow Brook. 

Everything was new and strange to him at the farm, and 
there were so many things to learn about and to do that Frank 
was delighted. Grandpa had a great many cows and horses 
and sheep, and there were hundreds and hundreds of chickens, 
Frank was sure, besides ducks and turkeys and geese. 

Frank was very busy all the time exploring the big farm 
and Grandma and Grandpa did all they could to make his 
new home pleasant. 

One evening, while Frank was taking a ride up and down 
the road on Ned, one of the farm horses. Grandma said to 
Grandpa, “Don’t you think we’d better buy a pony for Frank? 
He’d enjoy it very much.” “Yes, I think he would,” re- 
plied Grandpa, “but don’t you think we’d better let him buy 
one himself?” 

“Wouldn’t it be a good plan to let him earn the money 
and buy his own pony?” “Yes, it would,” said Grandma, 
“I hadn’t thought of that.” 

When Frank came in from his ride. Grandpa said, “Frank, 
how would you like a pony of your own?” Frank’s eyes 
danced. “Oh, Grandpa,” he said, “that would be too good 
to be true!” “No,” said Grandpa, “nothing is too good to 
be true, and you may have one if you will earn the money to 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


61 


buy him.” ‘‘But how, Grandpa, can I earn so much money? 
It will take a great deal.” “Not so very much,” said Grand- 
pa, “and I think we can find a way. I want someone to help 
me about the chickens, and you can do that very nicely. 
The hens are making their nests all over the farm, and I 
want to train them so that they will make their nests in the 
chicken houses. We lose a great many eggs this way, be- 
cause we never find the nests. You may have every egg 
you will find outside of the chicken houses, and Grandma 
will pay you for them, or you may sell them at the store. 
If you break up all the nests you find and take away the eggs 
the hens will go back where they belong.” “Oh, Grandpa, 
that will be fine, and won’t I have fun hunting the nests! 
When shall I begin?” said Frank. “Begin today,” answered 
Grandpa, “you know there’s no time like the present.” 

For a number of days the hens kept Frank busy. He would 
sit out in the barnyard and wait till he heard a hen cackle, 
then away he would go, and nearly every time would find 
a nest. Some of the nests were full of eggs. One day a 
big white hen flew down from the hay-loft cackling as hard 
as she could. In a minute Frank had climbed the ladder 
and was looking for her nest. A number of other hens flew 
up and went cackling out through the window. “Well, well,” 
said Frank, “I wonder how many nests there are here!” By 
looking carefully he found six nests nearly full of eggs. 
Frank was so excited he hardly knew what to do, so he 
climbed down the ladder and ran into the kitchen to tell 
Grandma the good news. Grandma gave him a basket, and 
he soon brought it back full of beautiful fresh eggs. “It 


62 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


won’t take long to buy a pony at this rate, will it, Grandma?’^ 
he said. 

The next day he sat out beside the big hay stacks in the 
field back of the barn. He had not been sitting there very 
long when a hen flew down from the very top of one of the 
stacks. “How am I to get up there?” thought Frank. But 
when he went around to the other side, he found a ladder 
that went part way up, and there at the top of the ladder 
from a nest in the side of the stack a hen flew down. 

By holding on to the hay he reached the top and found 
three other nests. Then he climbed the other stacks and 
found some nests on every one. 

Next he went out into the meadow and found many nests 
hidden in the tall grass and in the fence corners. 

He soon became so used to looking for nests that he found 
them in all kinds of places. He discovered a number under 
the currant bushes at the end of the garden, and one in a 
big, old straw hat of Grandpa’s that had become wedged 
between the branches of an apple tree. He found one in the 
trunk of a hollow tree, another in an empty barrel, and still 
another under the seat of a wagon that had been standing 
in the shed for several days. 

Soon he had quite a good start toward buying the pony. 
One morning he came in with eyes shining and said, “Oh, 
Grandpa, I’ve seen the pony I want. She belongs to Mr. 
Moss, and he says he’ll sell her to me. She’s as white as 
snow, and I shall call her Snowball.” “Yes, she’s the one I 
was thinking of” said Grandpa, “and that reminds me that 
the big brown hen that sat on that nest full of duck’s eggs 
and hatched out ten fine ducks seems to know they are not 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


63 


chickens and won’t have anything to do with them. How 
would you like to take care of them, Frank, and have them 
for your own?” “I’d like them very much, indeed,” said 
Frank. He took such good care of the baby ducks, and they 
were soon so tame that they followed him all about the yard. 
In a few weeks, they had grown to be beautiful large ducks. 

Grandpa seemed to be always on the lookout to find ways 
to help him in earning his pony, and his little store of money 
grew rapidly. 

One day Frank thought he must have nearly enough to 
pay for his pony, so he got out his money and counted it. 
“Only a few dollars,” he said to Grandma, running out into 
the kitchen. Grandma was talking to Mr. Pond at the door, 
and Mr. Pond was saying: “Yes, Mrs. Pond likes your ducks 
so much that she thinks she must have a few of them. Can’t 
you sell her eight or ten?” “No,” said Grandma, “but Frank 
has some. Perhaps he will sell them.” “Yes, indeed,” said 
Frank. So Mr. Pond went out to the barnyard with him, 
and soon had the ducks in his wagon and Frank went dancing 
back to the house with the rest of the money for the pony. 

When he led Snowball into her new stall in the bam next 
day and knew she was his own he was the happiest boy in all 
the country round. 


WINNIE’S CAMPING EXPERIENCE 


One Saturday afternoon Rob and Winnie went to town 
with Father. They drove Prince, the new horse that Father 
had just bought from Farmer Snow. When they reached 
the town, Father found a telegram waiting for him and tell- 
ing him to come to the city on business at once. 

“I must go on the next train,” he said to Rob, “but I don’t 
know what to do about you and Winnie. If we had driven 
Daisy, I’d feel safe to send you home alone, but I don’t like 
to send you with a strange horse, although Prince seems per- 
fectly gentle and reliable.” 

“Oh, I’m not afraid. Father. Prince will be all right,” 
said Rob. So they waited till train time. Father took the 
train, and Rob and Winnie got into the buggy and started 
for home. 

It was a long way, and there were only two houses on the 
road, but Prince was a good traveler, and the children en- 
joyed their ride over the quiet country road, knowing that 
they had plenty of time to reach home before dark. 

Suddenly, while Prince was trotting along at his briskest 
pace, a piece of the harness gave way, and he stopped so 
quickly that he almost threw Winnie from the seat. 

Rob got out of the wagon and found that the harness was 
broken in two places. Taking a bundle of strings from his 
pocket, he tried to fasten the broken parts together, but was 
unable to mend the break so that it would hold. He worked 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


65 


for a long time, and finally, when it began to grow dark, he 
unhitched Prince and led him out to one side of the wagon 
that the harness might be the more easily mended. 

As soon as Prince felt that he was free, he raised his head, 
pricked up his ears and galloped off down the road. Rob 
started after him, but Prince only went the faster, and was 
soon lost to sight in the gathering darkness. 

“What shall we do, Winnie?” said Rob, as he came back 
and stood beside the wagon. “We’re still miles from home, 
and it isn’t probable that anybody will come this way tonight. 
I shouldn’t so much mind staying here all night, but Mother 
will be worried, and she can’t leave baby to look for us.” 

They sat there and talked the matter over till finally it 
was quite dark. Then Rob grew thoughtful. “Would you 
be afraid to stay here in the wagon alone, Winnie?” he asked. 
“No, not very” said Winnie slowly, “why, Rob?” “Well, 
I was thinking,” answered Rob, “that I could walk home in 
about two hours, get Daisy and come back for you. If I 
don’t do that I don’t see any way but to stay here all night. 
If I tried to take you with me, we’d not get home till morn- 
ing, for it’s a long walk, but you know I can go pretty fast 
alone.” 

Rob was a great, tall boy and Winnie was a very little girl, 
so she had great confidence in his judgment. After talking 
a while longer, they decided that this was the only thing 
they could do. 

So Rob pulled the wagon out to one side of the road, and 
Winnie climbed up on the seat. 

“It’s a good thing,” said Rob, “that Father took to town 
one more bale of hay than Mr. Bush wanted. I’ll just pull 


66 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


this extra bale apart, and it will make you a fine bed. Then 
this sack of grain will do very nicely for a pillow. Now, 
said he, when he had finished, “I’ll just leave my big coat 
here — I’ll not need it when I’m walking, and when you feel 
like it, you can go to bed and use it for a blanket. You’ll 
be as cozy as can be. If you lie right down and go to sleep. 
I’ll be back before you wake up, and you’ll never know I’ve 
been away.” “All right,” said Winnie, and she crawled into 
the little bed and Rob covered her up. 

“Now,” said Rob, “you know there’s nothing to be afraid 
of, but if you begin to feel afraid just say our little song: 

“There’s nothing to fear. 

There’s nothing to fear” — 

and you’ll be all right. Good-bye.” “Good-bye,” said Win- 
nie, and then she snuggled down in her little bed. 

For a while she felt perfectly safe and happy. Then some 
little thoughts of fear began to come. “No,” said Winnie 
bravely, “there’s nothing to hurt me, and I’m not going to 
be afraid.” Then she sang softly to herself the little song : 

“There’s nothing to fear. 

There’s nothing to fear. 

The sun, always shining. 

Will soon look in here.” 
and in a few minutes was sound asleep. 

When she awoke the eastern sky was all bright with the 
rosy light of morning. She sat up and looked around for 
a moment before she remembered where she was. “Why,” 
she said, “I’ve been here all night. Where can Rob be?” 
Presently, she heard a horse coming down the road, and in 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


67 


a moment she saw Daisy galloping toward her with Rob on 
her back. 

“Hello, Winnie,” he said, “did you just wake up?” “Why, 
Rob,” she said, “it’s morning. Where have you been all this 
time?” “It’s a long story,” answered Rob, “and I don’t know 
how it happened, but somehow I missed the way in the dark, 
and turned off into the road that goes by Mr. Forest’s place. 
Everything seemed strange, and I knew I was lost, so I 
wandered about till nearly morning. Finally I came to Mr. 
Forest’s house. I shouldn’t have seen the place in the dark, 
but Sport heard me and began to bark. He ran out to the 
road, but when he saw me he knew me, and I went back 
with him to the house. Mr. Forest hitched up Dick and took 
me home. You weren’t scared, were you?” 

“No, indeed,” said Winnie. “I’ve been sleeping nearly all 
the time. What have you in that basket, Rob?” “Mother 
said you’d be hungry,” answered Rob, “so she sent you some 
breakfast, and we thought it would be fun to make a bon-fire 
and have a camping-out breakfast. How would you like 
that?” “Oh, I’d like that so much,” said Winnie. 

So Rob gathered a lot of sticks and lighted a fire. When 
it had burned down to coals, he took from the basket some 
nice, clean potatoes and buried them in the hot coals and 
ashes. “Now,” he said, “I’ll hitch Daisy to the wagon and 
get ready to start home. By that time I think the potatoes 
will be done, and we’ll have our breakfast.” 

When Daisy was hitched to the wagon and everything 
was ready to start, Rob took some slices of bread from the 
basket, put them on the end of a long stick and toasted them 
a beautiful brown. Then he pulled the potatoes from the 


68 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


ashes, brought the salt, butter, ham and cookies, which 
Mother had put into the basket and he and Winnie had a 
most delightful breakfast by the liitle camp fire. 

Then they climbed into the wagon and started for home. 
Daisy didn’t go as ^st as Prince, but she jogged along at 
a nice little trot, and the children enjoyed the ride, knowing 
that Mother was not anxious, and that Daisy would take them 
home in good time. 

“Well,” said Rob as they drove up to the door, “we’ve 
had quite an experience, haven’t we, Winnie?” “Yes,” an- 
swered Winnie, “and I’ve learned not to be afraid of the dark 
for there’s nothing in the dark to hurt anyone.” 


JOHNNIE, LOST AND FOUND 

Johnnie had always lived in the great city of Chicago. He 
had many times visited the beautiful parks of the city, but 
had never been in the country, and had little idea what it 
was like. 

Johnnie had an uncle who lived many miles from Chicago, 
and who often sent Father good things from the farm, as 
boxes of berries, barrels of apples and bags of nuts. 

One day early in September, Uncle John came to Chicago 
on business, and offered to take Johnnie home with him. 
Johnnie’s father and mother talked the matter over, and de- 
cided that he should spend a week with Uncle John on the 
farm. 

Johnnie was delighted. How he enjoyed the long ride 
on the steam cars! The train just flew over the ground. 
It was dark when they reached the station where they were 
to leave the train, and a man was waiting for them with a 
horse and carriage. 

By the time they reached Uncle John’s house it was bed- 
time. Aunt Helen had a nice little supper ready for them. 
Then Johnnie went to bed and was asleep in two minutes. 

As soon as breakfast was over the next morning, he was 
ready to explore the farm and the country around. Not far 
from the house was a wood, which seemed to Johnnie to have 
no end. Aunt Helen told him it was ten miles to the other 


70 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


side of it. She said he might go to the edge of the wood, 
but he must stay in sight of the house or he might get lost. 
Johnnie had never seen anything so beautiful as the forest 
trees in their autumn dresses of red, yellow and brown. When 
he reached the edge of the wood, he was still more delighted 
to find a little brook of clear, cool water running over a bedi 
of beautiful, smooth stones. 

Johnnie followed the brook a little way picking handfuls 
of wild grasses and fall flowers along its banks and filling 
his hat with the beautiful, bright leaves that had fallen from 
the trees. Presently, he saw a little tree completely cov- 
ered with the brightest red leaves he had ever seen. It was like 
a great bouquet. Johnnie ran to gather some of the leaves. 
Then he saw another with leaves like real shining gold. 
He ran to gather some of those. It seemed to him that he 
was in fairyland. 

Suddenly, he remembered what Aunt Helen had said — 
she had told him to keep in sight of the house. He looked 
around. He couldn’t see the house. He couldn’t even see 
the little brook. He could see nothing but trees. 

“Well,” he thought, “I’ll soon find the little brook and 
follow that back to the house.” So he began to look for 
the brook. He walked first one way and then another, but 
he couldn’t find the brook. Presently, he noticed a little 
path. “Now,” he thought, “this path will take me some- 
where — I’ll follow it.” So he followed the path, but after a 
while it branched into several paths, and he didn’t know 
which to take. At last he decided on one path, and followed 
it till it branched. He kept on in this way till he began to 
feel hungry, and he knew it must be about noon. 

Johnnie wasn’t a very big boy, and he felt a little bit like 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


71 


crying, but he knew that would do no good, so he started 
out and followed another path. He was feeling pretty hungry 
when he heard a funny little chatter overhead. He looked 
up and saw a squirrel with a nut in his paws. “Where 
did you get that nut, Mr. Squirrel?” said Johnnie. “There 
must be some more near. I’d like some myself.” 

After looking a few minutes he found a place where the 
ground was covered with nuts. He soon found two smooth 
stones, and in a little time felt that he had had a good dinner. 
“Only,” thought Johnnie, “Fd like some dessert, now.” As 
he sat there he looked up to see what kind of a tree it was 
from which the nuts had fallen, and what do you think ho 
saw? Hanging from one of the large branches he saw a 
great many bunches of ripe purple grapes. A wild grape 
vine had climbed up the tree, and the grapes were just ready 
to eat. “There,” said Johnnie, “I’ve found my dessert,” so 
he climbed the tree, and helped himself. 

Then he started out on another path and wandered on 
and on till it began to grow dark in the thick woods, and he 
knew evening was coming on. Then Johnnie began to be 
a little frightened. He began to think maybe he shouldn’t 
find his way out at all. All kinds of thoughts of danger 
began to come to him. 

Suddenly he remembered something Mother had said to 
him many times. “When things seem to go wrong,” she 
had said, “don’t worry, don’t get excited — there’s always a 
way out, but if you get frightened you may not find it so 
easily.” “Now,” said Johnnie, “is the time to prove that.” 
So he sat down and tried to quiet his fear. Presently, every- 
thing seemed very still in the woods, then he heard away 


72 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


in the distance something that sounded like the tinkle of a 
bell. He listened and heard it again. “It’s a bell of some 
kind,” he said, “and there must be somebody there to ring 
it. I’ll find it.” 

So he started off in the direction from which the sound 
came, listening all the time that he might not lose it. In a 
short time he came out on an open space, where a number 
of cows were feeding. One of the cows had a bell on her 
neck. Johnnie didn’t know much about cows, but he sup- 
posed they’d have to go home at night, so he decided to stay 
with them. 

In a little while, they began to walk slowly along one of 
the paths, stopping every few minutes to nibble the dry 
grass along the way. Johnnie followed. 

They had gone about half a mile when they came to the 
edge of the woods, and there right before them was Unclei 
John’s house. Uncle John’s cows had brought him home. 

Before he reached the house Aunt Helen saw him. “Why, 
Johnnie,” she called, “where have you been? We’ve been 
looking for you all day. Uncle John and another man are 
looking for you now.” 

Then Johnnie told her how he had been lost and how the 
cows had brought him home. 

Presently Uncle John came and was delighted to find John- 
nie at home. Then he had to tell his story all over to Uncle 
John. “Well,” said Uncle John, “I think you were a lucky 
boy to find the cows.” “No,” said Johnnie, thoughtfully, “it 
wasn’t luck. I found the cows because I did as Mother has 
so often told me. I just sat down, got quiet and tried not 
to be afraid, and it was then I heard the bell.” 


DICK^S ‘TOURTH^^ 


Dick’s home was on a big farm a number of miles from 
town. In the spring and summer when the men were plow- 
ing and planting the big fields and cutting and harvesting the 
hay and grain, everybody on the farm was very busy and 
sometimes no one went to town for many days, except when 
one of the men went in a hurry to do an errand. Then Dick 
usually went too. In this way he made many pleasant visits 
to the busy little village. 

One time when the town was a wonderful place to Dick 
was the night of the “Fourth of July.” Then all the people 
in the town and from all the country round met on the 
“Square” in the middle of the town and watched the display 
of fireworks. 

Dick’s father always took him to see this display, and they 
stayed till the last fire cracker had been shot off, and then 
drove home late in the night. Then Dick always had a great 
many fire crackers to fire off at home during the day, so 
that the “Fourth of July” was one of the days to which he 
was always looking forward with pleasure. 

One “Fourth” when Dick had fired off a great many little 
crackers and some very big ones, he said to his father, 
“Father, do you know that since I have studied a little about 
our country and learned what the ‘Fourth of July’ means, 
and why we celebrate the day, fire crackers don’t seem the 


74 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


same to me? All they used to say to me was, ‘boom, boom, 
boom,’ and I liked them just for the noise. 

“Now, since I know that the ‘Fourth of July’ was the 
day on which our country became free, the fire crackers 
talk in a different way. When I fire off a bunch of little 
ones together they say, ‘free, free, free — free, free, free,’ and 
when I fire off one of those big giants, it says ‘FREE,’ too” 

When the next “Fourth of July” drew near Dick could 
hardly wait. He wondered what day Father would take 
him to buy his fire crackers, but he didn’t say anything, for 
he knew Father was thinking of it too, and would take him 
as soon as he could. 

At last, just the day before the “Fourth,” Father said, “It’s 
too bad, Dick, but I sha’n’t be able to get you any fire crackers 
today, and I can’t take you to the village tomorrow, either.” 
Two of the men had to go away and that leaves so much extra 
work for all the rest of us, that nobody can spare a moment 
to go to town. The hay must be cared for, for if it should 
rain, it would all be spoiled.” 

For a while Dick had quite a struggle with himself. The 
sense of disappointment seemed hard to overcome. “Well,” 
he said to himself at last, “I’ll just have to find some other 
good way of spending the ‘Fourth.’ ” 

The next morning he helped Mother churn the butter, and 
take care of the milk. Then he did all the other little things 
he thought she would like to have him do. After lunch he 
said, “I think Gyp and I’ll just take a run up into the woods 
near the sawmill and see if we can find enough little smooth 
blocks to finish my train.” 

So away he went with Gyp beside him. “Well, Gyp,” 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


75 


he said, as they bounded along over the delightful little path 
and under the great forest trees, “we’re glad we live in a free 
country anyway, even if we can’t go to town to hear the fire 
crackers talk about it, aren’t we?” 



Presently, they came to a clear place with tall trees around 
it. In the center of this space was a great flock of birds 
busily picking something from the ground. 

“See, Gyp,” said Dick, “somebody’s been having a ‘Fourth 


76 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


of July’ picnic, and all these birds are clearing the table 
by picking up the crumbs.” When the birds saw the boy and 
dog, they spread their wings and sailed away. Dick watched 
them till they rose above the trees, and then looking down 
at the ground he saw three of their little comrades that had 
remained behind. They were beating their wings against 
the ground, and trying to free their feet from something 
which seemed to be holding them down. 

Gyp saw them as soon as Dick did and jumped and danced 
around so much that Dick had to make him lie down, that 
he might not frighten them any more. Then Dick went 
quietly up to where the frightened little brids were struggling 
and found that their feet had become tangled in a great bunch 
of wire netting. 

Their struggles had only made the matter worse, and Dick 
felt that it would take a long time and very careful, gentle 
fingers to get the little feet out without hurting them. So 
he took one of the little birds in his hand and laid his hat 
over the other two to stop their struggling. 

It was slow work, but at last the little songster was free, 
and as he spread his wings and sailed away from . Dick’s out- 
stretched hand, he sent back a beautiful song of thanksgiving 
for his freedom. 

Dick watched him for a moment, and then went to work 
to loosen the other little captives. This took a long time, 
but Dick felt that he was more than paid for his work by 
the delightful, joyous song which each sent back as he flew 
away to join his friends. 

Then Dick and Gyp went to look for the blocks, so that 
it was evening before they got home. 

When Father came in to supper, he said, “Well, Dick, 


TALES OUT OF SCHOOL 


77 


has it been a pretty lonesome ‘Fourth’?” “Oh, no, indeed,” 
said Dick, “so many pleasant things have happened, I’ve never 
thought of being lonesome.” Then he told Father about 
the little birds. “And, Father,” he said, “when I had taken 
off the wire and the little things found they could fly, they 
were so happy they all sang their thanks to me as they flew 
off. And do you know that to me they seemed to be saying, 
‘free, free free?’ ” 

“No, indeed, I have never had a pleasanter ‘Fourth’ than 
this one. I almost felt as if I were one of the men who 
started the ‘Fourth of July,’ for I had helped a little in bring- 
ing about freedom, and I know the little birds had much 
the same sense of gratitude toward me that I have toward the 
men who made this a free country.” 




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